Ferrari confirm test line-up in Bahrain. Sebastian Vettel and Antonio Giovinazzi will take part in the first in-season test session.

Formula One teams will continue to stay on at the Bahrain International Circuit even after the Grand Prix on Sunday, as the first in-season test session of the 2017 F1 season is scheduled to take place in Sakhir on Tuesday and Wednesday.

The Maranello team will use the first day of testing to help official tyre supplier Pirelli with development activities, as part of the manufacturer’s expanded Formula One 2017 test programme. Scuderia Ferrari is set to run Sebastian Vettel and reserve driver Antonio Giovinazzi during the first day of testing, while the German driver will then spend the entire day on the track on Wednesday.

Antonio Giovinazzi recently made two race starts with Sauber in the first two rounds of the season, as he replaced Pascal Wehrlein, who was unavailable due to a back injury. The testing session on Monday will be Antonio Giovinazzi’s first run in the 2017-spec Ferrari car.

Given the current Formula One rules, all teams have to give a young driver the opportunity to take part in two of the four in-season testing session which are scheduled during the year. The young driver, in Ferrari’s case Antonio Giovinazzi, has to have less than three Grands Prix in order to be eligible for testing.